A passionate Portuguese polyglot, Clara is a bundle of energy and believes “the first bite of a bake is always with the eyes.” She loves creating colorful, chaotically beautiful designs balanced with fresh, fruity flavors. Originally from Aveiro, Portugal, Clara moved to the UK at 18 to study marketing. She began baking cakes two years ago as a creative outlet, and then began recreating Portuguese classics like tarte de nata for her British fiancé, Kieran, and his family. Clara’s greatest loves are her spaniel, Gigi, and pygmy hedgehog, Pecan, and she is happiest when surrounded by animals. Clara is bringing plenty of color, warmth, and Portuguese sunshine to the tent.

Known as “the Cake Lady,” Connie can’t remember a time when she didn’t bake. With over 20 years with the National Health Service, she bakes to unwind after a busy day. She is best known for her hearty carrot cakes, with favorite flavors including rum-drenched fruit, lemon, and lavender. She keeps a jar of fruit permanently soaking in rum, wine, and cinnamon — “You can smell the cake before you see it!” A devoted fan of black-and-white films, Connie loves an audiobook and often has a thriller series playing in the background while she bakes. She has been married to Myke, a musician and music teacher, for 23 years, and together they run a music center in London, where Connie loves to try out her new recipes on the students.

Naturally curious and experimental, Danni loves exploring the countryside and foraging for ingredients. Their bakes often combine foraged finds such as magnolia, chestnut, and dandelion with far-flung flavors like ube and red bean paste. Living in Dorset with their parents, sister, and three cocker spaniels, Danni works alongside their dad at an HGV service center, keeping the mechanics on their toes with invoices and cost tracking. Always tinkering, Danni has a host of projects on the go, from anime doodling to soldering broken traces on the motherboard of their Commodore 64. A tech enthusiast, they love decorating their bakes with designs inspired by video games and animation. Danni has designed websites for fun, created their own visual novel games using Ren’Py, and even brought an old VCR back to life.

The self-described “daddy of Birmingham drag,” Gabe discovered baking after watching the baking competition at age 13. Their baking style is “gorgeous but very homemade,” with a preference for savory, meat-filled bakes and an obsession with meringue. Raised in Grimsby, “the home of fish and chips and zero gay bars,” they now live in the West Midlands with partners Ellis and Tyler and their two sausage dogs, Dill and Sage. An all-round creative and, in his own words, “professional nuisance,” Gabe produces theater shows and performs as their drag persona, Blü Romantic. They are also a costume designer and once made a wedding dress for their best friend. At home, they’re a keen gardener, crafter, and dinner party host.

Gary is a methodical and precise baker who discovered his love of baking later in life. He bought his first cookbook in a gift shop five years ago and hasn’t looked back, developing a traditional yet creative style focused on impeccable presentation and bold flavors, particularly citrus. Born and bred in Chesterfield, Gary now lives on a smallholding in Nottinghamshire with his wife of over 30 years, Donna. Their countryside home is filled with animals, including sheep, horses, chickens, miniature goats, and Shetland ponies. Having beaten prostate cancer himself, Gary is passionate about raising awareness and funds for cancer charities through bake sales and coffee mornings. When he’s not baking, Gary is usually out walking with his two border collies, Ollie and Alfie, who are his pride and joy.

Caring and determined, Molly started baking over 25 years ago, inspired by her grandmother. She loves traditional bakes and classic flavors, with hazelnut, fresh fruit, and mint among her favorites. During a difficult period with her health in 2020, Molly turned to baking to stay motivated and keep connected to friends and family, taking her skills to a new level. Living in London with her husband, Ash, and their sausage dog, Lando, Molly works for a disability charity, reviewing transport accessibility. A musical theater fanatic, she has been involved in many drama groups and supports her local theater. She is also a huge Formula 1 fan, clearing her diary for every race, and is currently 25% of the way through a 350,000-stitch cross-stitch landscape of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Rivendell.

Moyin is a high achiever who balances his studies with athletics, baking, and a part-time job. He started baking with his mum at age 5 and by 14 had mastered the tricky art of macaronage. His bakes are fun and precise, with flavors inspired by his Nigerian heritage, including grains of paradise and groundnuts. A competitive sprinter, Moyin was crowned U20 county champion in the 100-meter, and his pre-race motivational playlist features Afrobeats, R&B, and conscious rap. He lives with his mum, sister, and grandmother, and regularly visits family in Nigeria, Canada, and the US. Outside of baking, Moyin loves fashion, collecting vinyl, and visiting comedy clubs. He’s also a dedicated matcha latte fan, pre-ordering one for a swift pickup on his way to seminars on global political thought.

Mo, who describes himself as “chaotic and random,” is determined to make his family proud. A West Midlands native, he lives with his family and their three cats, Pablo, Simba, and Gucci. Studying law at university with ambitions of becoming a solicitor, Mo says that his wider family is often surprised to discover that he’s also a keen baker. His love of baking started at age 3, when he would pretend to cook with Play-Doh. At 9, he stumbled across a video about mug cakes and was hooked. Starting with boxed vanilla cake mixes from the corner shop, Mo has since graduated to precise, professional-looking bakes, often infusing traditional British classics with Asian flavors. When he’s not baking or studying, Mo lifts weights at the gym or gets to grips with calisthenics.

Nikki is a colorful character with a colorful baking style. She started baking with her mum at age 7 and has always found it a form of therapy. Her kitchen soundtrack depends on the bake: nostalgic R&B for tried-and-tested desserts and classical music for the calm she needs to experiment. Nikki is happiest surrounded by others and loves nothing more than feeding her family and friends. She has been with her “soulmate,” Tom, for 22 years, and they have a 16-year-old daughter, Ava. A former podium dancer at Ziggy’s Night Club in Basingstoke in the ’90s, Nikki still loves hitting the dance floor at R&B clubs with her cousins. She also enjoys theater trips with her family and long walks, recently completing a 100-mile walk to raise money for breast cancer research.

Shannon is a fun-loving, nature-loving foodie who dreams of bringing “a little forest magic” to the tent. Having grown up in Bristol, she now lives in the countryside with her fiancé, Scott, her two black Staffordshire bull terriers, and Tyrone the tortoise. Her home life revolves around the great outdoors, from long walks to gardening and cooking with ingredients she grows herself. Shannon has been baking for as long as she can remember, taught by her beloved nan, and describes her style as whimsical, quirky, and rustic. Organized and focused thanks to her day job, Shannon is determined to get her timings just right; however, she once rode a horse through a drive-through, so there’s still plenty of room for chaos!

Tom is a self-proclaimed “Northern diva” who loves nothing more than creating bakes that are witty, pretty, and, most importantly, delicious. While his older brother was off at football matches, 6-year-old Tom would escape to his nan’s to bake, mastering the ideal brandy snap before he was 10. He now works in a busy salon, where he crafts perfect sets of highlights and occasionally overshares about his personal life. His colleagues are gleeful taste testers, particularly when he brings in his famous salted caramel brownies. Outside of baking, Tom loves traveling and recently spent seven months exploring Southeast Asia with his boyfriend, Alex. The pair are now saving for a house together.

Yannis is challenging the stigma that Bangladeshi men don’t belong in the kitchen — one pastry at a time. Working in a busy NICU, he loves how a cake can bring joy to the ward and has won over the nurses with his bakes. Born in Vienna before moving to London at age 11, Yannis says his baking draws on many food cultures. His first baking memory is making bhapa pitha with his grandmother, while his school days introduced him to classic Austrian treats. Watching the series also helped Yannis learn English, making the experience especially close to his heart. Outside the kitchen, he is also a bhangra dancer, and his wedding shimmy has become legendary. For Yannis, baking and medicine have a lot in common: Both are about caring for people.